Saturday, here in my little corner of the world, Dick Cheney was in town. OK, I didn't attend (for reasons obvious to readers here). What could be more American and patriotic than going to hear a (duly elected?) public official speak, hell, take the whole fam damly? Here, however, is the fly in the ointment. When people went to pick up tickets they were given a form to sign which stated that it made them duly authorized Americans who had been cleared to view a public official in public? The form began (and I quote): "I, (full name)...do herby (sic) endorse George Bush for reelection of the United States." The Republican party said the form was necessary because a "known Democratic operative group" intended to do exactly what the Republican group did at a recent Kerry-Edwards rally: Show up and demonstrate loudly. A loyalty oath to see a public figure speak in public, who would have thought. 
